Vacuum stripping apparatus.



W. BIRCHALL.

VACUUM STRIPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 19:4.

1,16U,895.. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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W. BIRCHALL.

VACUUM STRIPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. 19M.

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VACUUM STRIPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2. 1914.

1,1 $0,825.. Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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WILLIAM BIBCHALL, 0F WHITWORTH, NEAR ROCHDALE, ENGLAND.

VACUUM STRIPPING APPARATUS.

Application filed February 2, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM BIROHALL, aBritish subject, residing at W Vhitworth, near Rochdale, county ofLancaster, England,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum StrippingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vacuum stripping apparatus forcarding engines or other similar machines.

It consists essentially of mechanism where by when the strippingoperation is started at the first of a series of carding engines,orother similar machines, the stripping mechanism of each succeedingmachine will be automatically put into operation at or near theconclusion of the stripping operation of the preceding machine.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming part of the specification in which it is shown appliedto a carding engine.

Figure 1. is a front view of the mechanism showing sufiicient of thestripping apparatus to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2. is a plan ofsame. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a lever system which cooperates with thetraversing mechanism. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail plan views of the settingon mechanism. Fig. 6. is a diagrammatic plan showing the setting on rodsof the three machines of a series, the valves of all three being closed.Fig. 7. is a similar view showing the valve of the first machine movedinto the open position to commence stripping. Fig. 8. is a similar viewshowing the valve of the second machine opened and the valve of thefirst machine closed after the termination of the stripping of thatmachine. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing a traversing mechanism for thenozzle Z. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

As is usual in vacuum stripping apparatus the stripping nozzle Z iscarried on a traversing carriage Z mounted on a guide X extending acrossthe machine on which is a continuously rotating threaded rod is providedwith two opposite and intersecting screw threads with which a pin orprojection 2 on the carriage Z engages to cause the latter and with itthe nozzle Z to traverse the machine, the guide X having a longitudinalslot as through which the projection 2 extends. The nozzle Z isconnected with Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 816,068.

the main vacuum pipe C by the branch pipe C and the flexible pipe C Ashaft A (preferably vertical) is carried on a suitable footstep orbracket D attached to the frame L of the machine and its upper end isconnected to a valve B placed in the branch vacuum pipe C, the valve Bbeing operated by the rotation of the shaft A and controlling thesuction of the nozzle Z. A

double armed lever E is mounted fast upon The fingers G, G" beingconnected to opposite ends of the lever E move inward and outwardtogether (i. 0., simultaneously toward or simultaneously away from oneanother) consequent to pivotal movement of said lever. The nozzle Z willbe traversed in. one direction for the first stripping, in Y the reversedirection for the second, and so on.

A three armed lever H is aiiixed to the shaft A near its upper end andis pivoted at one end to the end J of a connecting rod j extending tothe next machine where its end J is operated by the corresponding threearmed lever H as similar mechanism is employed for each carding enginein the series, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The end .J of theconnecting rod or lever j is provided with a projection K which engageswith a catch or projection K on the lever H so that when the shaft A andwith it the lever H are rotated the projection K engages with theprojection K and pushes the rod forward. An arm M forms part of thelever H and carries at its end a runner or roller L which engages theside of the rod y' when the lever H. has rotated a certain distance andmoves the rod j so that the projection K is moved and held out ofengagement with the projection K thus allowing the rod "j to return toits normal position. A lever N is pivoted to the lever H at or near itsend and carries a runner or roller 0 which bears against the oppositeside of the rod j to the roller L. The arm N is attached to a weight Bso that the catch K is held in engagement P by aichain P. passing over aguide'pulley with the catch K until the rod j is moved by the roller L.

The invention has been described with reference to a vacuum strippingmechanism in which the nozzle (or'nozzles) are traversed'by a rotary rodwith screw threads in opposite direction but it-can be applied to anyother form of traversing motion.

their arrangement, from left to right, the

stripping nozzles will move from right to left.

' Figs; 6,1? 'and.8 show diagrammatically the operating connectionsbetween the first I and second and between. the second andthirdmachinesof a gang or series. According to Fig. 6, the saidconnections are shown in the positions which they occupy when all of thevalvesB of the mechanisms to which said connections relate are closed.AccordingtoFigiY, the valve B of the first machine'has been opened andthe valves B of the second and third machines are closed. According toFig. 8, the valve B of the second machine has been opened and the valvesBIof-the' first andthird machines are closed. The operation of themechanism is as follows':=The shaft A of the first machine to be:stripped is. rotated by hand or other means to causethe finger G tobring the nozzle carriage Z into engagement with the traversingmechanism X and at the same time" toopenthe valve B of the first machineof the series, the lever H being-moved from the position ofFig. 6. tothe position ofv Fig.7; The nozzlev of the first machine thenitraversesto. the opposite side of the guide X and engages the finger G therebyrotating the shaft A of the first machine in the opposite directionand-restoring it to its initial position. This rotation ofthe' shaft A.closes the valve B of the first machine and rotates the lever H so thatthe projec- In the next succeeding operation, although the maschinesareto be stripped in the order of 0nd machine to be rotated, the valve B tobe opened and the nozzle carriage Z to be moved into engagement with thetraversing mechanism. The stripping mechanism of the next machine isthus brought into operation and the movement is transmitted in turn in asimilar manner to all the machines in the series. At the next strippingoperation since the fingers G G move inward and outward together thestripping nozzles will be traversed in the opposite direction. (See Fig.3.) The next stripping operation or series of operations is initiated inlike manner, the shaft A of the first machine to be stripped, 'i. e. themachine at the left end of the gang or series in the embodiment shown,being rotated by hand or other means to cause the finger G to bring thenozzle carriage Z into engagement with the threaded shaft of thetraversing mechanism. The operation is transmitted from one machine tothe other in the same manner as above described. In this connection itmay be noted that the pin .a of the traversing mechanism is formed as afork within the carriage Z and is mounted to rotate in said carriage,one prong of the fork being longer than the other. hen the carriage ismoved-inward by the lever F, the screw a? being in rotation, will engagethe long prong of the fork of the pin 2, knocking it to one side, andthereby bringing the short prong into engagement with the screw.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patentis 1. 'The combination with a series of card-- ing engines or othermachines of a vacuum stripping mechanism for each machine comprising astripping nozzleand traversing mechanism therefor and mechanismconnected to the stripping mechanism of the next machine to putautomatically into operation the stripping mechanism of the latter whenthe stripping of the first machine is nearly or quite concluded.

2. The combination with a series of carding engines or other machines ofvacuum stripping mechanism for each machine com prising a strippingnozzle, traversing mechnism therefor, and a valve to which said nozzleis connected, a vertical shaft by which the operation of said valve iscontrolled. connections for partially rotating said shaft and foroperation thereby and arranged to engage or to be engaged by the nozzlecarriage upon the completion of the movement of said carriage in eitherdirection. and other connections between each of said vertical shaftsand the vertical shaft of the next succeeding machine whereby thevertical shaft of one machine will automatically effect an operation ofthe shaft of an adjoining machine.

3. The combination with a series of cardingengines or other machines ofa stripping mechanism for each machine comprising a stripping nozzle, anozzle carriage, a mechanism for moving said carriage from one end ofthe machine to the other and a valve to which said nozzle is connected,a vertical shaft controlling the operation of said valve, a two-armedlever on the lower end of said shaft, links connected to the ends ofsaid lever and having forks adjoining the ends of the machine to engageand for engagement by said nozzle carriage, and connections whereby thevertical shaft of one machine when operated through said links and saidlever by said nozzle carriage upon the completion of the movement of thelatter in one direction will eflect a rotation of the vertical shaft ofthe succeeding machine.

i. The combination with a series of carding engines or other machines ofa stripping mechanism for each machine comprising a stripping nozzle, anozzle carriage, a mechanism for moving said carriage from one end ofthe machine to the other and a valve to which said nozzle is connected,a vertical shaft controlling the o eration of said valve, a two-armedlever on the lower end of said shaft, links connected to the ends ofsaid lever and having forks adjoining the ends of the machine to engageand for engagement by said nozzle carriage, and connections whereby thevertical shaft of one machine when operated through said links and saidlever by said nozzle carriage upon the completion of the movement of thelatter in one direction will effect a rotation of the vertical shaft ofthe succeeding machine, comprising a three-armed lever on said verticalshaft. a rod pivotally connectedT-to one arm of said three-armed lever,the second arm of said three-armed lever having a catch, said rod havinga projection near its free end and the said projection engaging thecatch of the tlneearmed lever of an adjoining machine, the third orintermediate arm of said three armed lever having a projection for thepurpose of lifting the rod extending from the three-armed lever of theadjoining machine from engagement with said catch, and vieldable meansacting on the free end portion of each rod'to hold the same against thecatch of the three-armed lever which said rod enages.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

l/VILLIAM BIRCHALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

